Sunday, January 12, 2014

Week In Review: January 6-12

Football season ended for me last Sunday, but political season never ends.

Matt Schultz picked the worst possible time for press conference, right in the middle of Chris Christie's marathon, an event so epic it distracted even the in-state media. We are, of course, Iowa. The GOP powers that be pulled political journeyman Paul Pate (four jobs and ran for a fifth) off the bench to try to replace Schultz. But the really interesting development that day: a resignation and likely third congressional campaign Mariannette Miller-Meeks, whose name alone takes up 20% of a tweet. I suggest #3M3 for the universal hashtag.

Candidates and even the Democrats are starting to mention the caucuses more and more, as contenders prepare backup plans in case no one hits the magic 35% in the primary. The main mentioners were in the Republican senate race, but Monica Vernon in the 1st CD Democratic race also made note, as did Jack Hatch and Iowa Democratic Party chair Scott Brennan, who did an eastern Iowa drive around Thursday.

Later Thursday the Johnson County Dems started handing out caucus packets at a well-attended monthly meeting. Our chair transition officially happened as Mike Carberry stepped down to work on his supervisor race. Gerene Denning will be interim chair till a March 6 election.

Other candidates on hand: Kevin Kinney, newly announced contender in open Senate 39, along with the previously announced Rich Gilmore; fourth time legislative candidate David Johnson, who introduced himself as "I'm the candidate your county didn't vote for" in the 2012 House 73 primary; Recorder Kim Painter, with no opponent since 1998 and none in sight...

...and both county attorney Janey Lyness and newly announced primary challenger John Zimmerman. State level Republicans declared marijuana law reform dead for the session this week, yet it was the courthouse level Democrat who drew the opposition.

The Iowa Iowa City City City City Council Council has Officially opened up the charter review commission. I'm applying but I think my prospects are poor. The last commission a decade ago included two former mayors, a former council member, a legislator and at least two attorneys, and my qualifications are "smart guy with a dumb hat." (Adam Sullivan also meets those qualifications it seems.) More to the point: by way of application I wrote this, with direct shots at at least four of the seven council members who make the decision.

My own week was dominated by two dead pieces of equipment, a car and a printer. One is repaired and the other is replaced.